Vodacom Incompetency

I was always a faithful customer to Vodacom for many years. NOT ANYMORE! When my main 2 contracts for 2 separate numbers came to an end, I received a call from a 3rd party agent affiliated to Vodacom offering to extend my contract as a data package deal where I would receive 10G Anytime and 10G Owl of data with 2x Vodacom 7" Tablets. Each deal would cost R362 per month. I took the 2 deals for the 2 numbers as my daughter had the other number. Within 2 weeks I received the 2 packages and tablets. So far so good! The billing commenced at the end of that current month and it was the correct amount R362+R362=R724 - So far so good! This continued every month for 2 years no problems. Eventually the contracts came to an end and we then entered COVID19 Lockdown. As per my understanding, when your contract comes to an end Vodacom automatically keeps everything in place until you cancel and ask to go on a month to month (Pre-Paid). Due to the lockdown I had no income from my business and decided to go on a month to month basis or "pay as you go". So on the 1 July I emailed *** Message contents "Please find attached Latest Pmnt on this account. Please cancel the contracts for cell number 072 *** **49 & 079 *** **45 as we will buy data as we need it. Yours Sincerely, [My_Name] 079 *** **45" Surprise surprise! First week in August I got a bill for the next month (August) Then the fun started and I have been phoning Vodacom almost every week to try and sort this out. When I get through to billing and explain to them that I cancelled my contract (which came to an end) they would put me through to cancellations to sort out. When I get through to cancellations they said they can't sort it out because my account is in arrears and they put me through to billing to sort out. This was most frustrating and never got resolved. After many more calls and emails to customer care and other agents at Vodacom this problem has never been resolved. I have numerous notes on dates when I phoned Vodacom and emails too. I've been promised that Vodacom is busy investigating my account and was promised numerous times that they will follow up with me. Alas! This never happened and eventually Vodacom blocked all my outgoing calls in September and eventually blocked all incoming & outgoing calls or messages. I had to remove my sim card from my phone as it was now useless to me, Today I had a call on my wifes phone (She is with cell C) The Call identity that showed up on my wife's phone showed as "Potential *****" LOL! We answered the call anyway and was amazed when the lady said she wants to speak to me and she was from Vodacom Collections??? WOW. Vodacom can dig up anything to track you down when they think you owe them money but when it comes to sorting out your account due to their incompetence then nothing happens and your problems just get bigger and bigger. I spoke to the recoveries agent from Vodacom and she stated I was in arrears of ...wait for it.....R3500???. I told her I'm not in arrears and that I cancelled this contract on the 1st July 2020 and I mailed her the proof of this email with proof of the last pmnt I made. I know this will not be sorted out and I know that Vodacom will list me at the credit bureaus (If not already). This is my message to Vodacom.... "I will not pay this account! I cancelled this account via email *** (I have proof!) You have FAILED to follow up with me except on paying the arrears which should not have been there if you cancelled this from the beginning! If this account is not fixed and unblocked within 7 days I will be seeking legal advice to sue Vodacom for loss of income from my business I was trying to get going again. All my customers had my Vodacom number and I have already contacted some of them that can prove they went elsewhere because they could get through on my Vodacom cell number. Lets see what happens. I will keep Hello Peter updated with further developments...